NameCensus.

UK surname

Souza

A Portuguese surname derived from the Latin word "saxa," meaning "rocks" or "boulders."

In the 1881 census there were 24 people recorded with the Souza surname, ranking it #30,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 464, ranked #10,570, up from #30,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Brent and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Souza is 464 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1833.3%.

1881 census count

24

Ranked #30,215

Modern count

464

2016, ranked #10,570

Peak year

2016

464 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Souza had 24 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016, ranked #10,570.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Souza surname distribution map

The map shows where the Souza surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Souza surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Souza over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 2 #33,133
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 24 #30,215
1891 historical 12 #33,181
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 89 #28,490
1998 modern 86 #29,343
1999 modern 93 #28,711
2000 modern 139 #22,855
2001 modern 171 #19,770
2002 modern 162 #20,839
2003 modern 174 #19,760
2004 modern 208 #17,758
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 266 #15,076
2007 modern 289 #14,401
2008 modern 313 #13,746
2009 modern 377 #12,269
2010 modern 419 #11,550
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 364 #12,564
2013 modern 391 #12,123
2014 modern 426 #11,408
2015 modern 434 #11,142
2016 modern 464 #10,570

Geography

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Where Souzas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swindon, Brent, East Northamptonshire, Haringey and Luton. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swindon 015 Swindon
2 Brent 031 Brent
3 East Northamptonshire 007 East Northamptonshire
4 Haringey 029 Haringey
5 Luton 016 Luton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Souza

These lists show first names that appear often with the Souza surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Souza

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Souza, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Souza surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Souza household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Souza is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Souza is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Souza falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Souza is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Souza, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Souza

The surname "SOUZA" is believed to have originated in Portugal and Spain, and it is derived from the Latin word "salice," which means "willow." The earliest recorded instances of this surname date back to the 12th century in the Iberian Peninsula.

In Portugal, the name was initially spelled as "Sousa," and it was associated with the town of Sousa, located in the northern region of the country. The town itself was named after the Sousa River, which flows through the area and was once lined with willow trees.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name "Sousa" was Gomes Mendes de Sousa, a Portuguese nobleman who lived in the 12th century and fought alongside King Afonso Henriques during the conquest of Lisbon from the Moors in 1147.

As Portuguese explorers and settlers ventured to different parts of the world, the surname "Sousa" spread to various regions, including Brazil and other parts of South America. Over time, the spelling evolved to "SOUZA," particularly in Brazil.

In Brazil, one of the most notable individuals with the surname "SOUZA" was Tomé de Souza, who was appointed as the first Governor-General of Brazil in 1549. He played a crucial role in the early colonization and administration of the Portuguese colony.

Another prominent figure was Luís de Sousa, a 16th-century Portuguese historian and author who wrote the historical work "Vida de D. Frei Bartolomeu dos Mártires," which chronicled the life of the Archbishop of Braga.

In the realm of literature, the Brazilian writer and playwright Raquel de Queiroz, born in 1910, gained significant recognition for her novels and plays, including "O Quinze" and "Memorial de Maria Moura."

Martinho da Vila, born in 1938, is a renowned Brazilian samba composer and singer who has left an indelible mark on the country's musical landscape with his contributions to the genre.

Additionally, Pedro Leopoldo Souza Cruz, born in 1864, was a Brazilian businessman and industrialist who founded the Souza Cruz tobacco company, which became one of the largest cigarette manufacturers in Brazil.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Souza families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Souza surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 10 Souzas recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.60x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 10 3.60x
Midlothian 6 19.14x
Stirlingshire 6 69.52x
Royal Navy 1 35.84x
Surrey 1 0.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Duddingston in Midlothian leads with 6 Souzas recorded in 1881 and an index of 952.38x.

Place Total Index
Duddingston 6 952.38x
Salford 6 73.44x
St Ninians 6 697.67x
Manchester 4 32.03x
Lambeth 1 4.90x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Souza surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Alice 1
Aliza 1
Amy 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Maria 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Souza surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Samuel 2
Earnest 1
Thomas 1
Vincente 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Souza households.

FAQ

Souza surname: questions and answers

How common was the Souza surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24 people were recorded with the Souza surname. That placed it at #30,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Souza surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016. That gives Souza a modern rank of #10,570.

What does the Souza surname mean?

A Portuguese surname derived from the Latin word "saxa," meaning "rocks" or "boulders."

What does the Souza map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Souza bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.